Newham (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Newham residents report sleepless nights due to nonstop revving cars and fireworks from a nearby wedding venue, raising concerns over noise enforcement.
The situation has been called a “nightmare” by locals near the Impression Events Venue in West Ham, East London. At a meeting in January, locals are now pleading with Newham Council to deny the venue’s license renewal.
Longtime locals who have lived in the neighborhood for almost 50 years say they recall a time when things were quiet, but today they had to put up with hundreds of visitors attending “two weddings a day” throughout the summer. Some residents claim that when they try to reason with visitors, they are threatened, and they believe that the council and police do little to deter them.
After telling flare-wielding partygoers that she was suffering an asthma attack, a resident with lung issues describes being encouraged to “move to the country” if she didn’t like the gatherings. Others often discover that their cars have been damaged by guests who are seen on camera driving fancy cars in processions prior to weddings.
Around 2010, the position was converted from a working men’s club to a marriage venue.
Carly Allen, a single mother whose family has been in the region for about 50 times, said that her dog is” petrified” to leave the house during marriages.
The 50-year-old said:
“We are just sick of it. In the summer, there’s a wedding every single day – sometimes twice a day. When they first started we used to go out and have a look. But after a while, you go: ‘I can’t live like this’.”
She added:
“It’s not like we live on a great countryside estate. Every road gets blocked with cars and they all rev their engines before they go. Why do you need a Lamborghini to drive in a 20mph zone? Even if the venue shuts at 11, you are still on tenterhooks because you don’t know if they will set fireworks off.”
She says her grandson is no longer allowed to visit when weddings are taking place, after he nearly got hit by a vehicle on one occasion. Ms Ford, who has lived in the area for nearly 50 years, said:
“I had an asthma attack when they were setting off flares around six months ago. I went outside to remonstrate with [the guests] – they were all sitting in their convertibles. I said: ‘Please, no flares’. One of them lit a flare and said, ‘Take a picture of that!’. It was horrendous. They said they would smash my car windows. The police didn’t even come.”
For Ms. Ford, who says wedding guests had damaged her car four times, raising her insurance costs, the threat felt very real. She added that she pays the authorities £150 a year for the frequent use of her residents’ parking place by visitors.
In a letter to Newham Council, an 84-year-old local who has lived close to the club for more than 30 years demanded that the “awful” facility be closed. She claimed in a letter to the licensing committee that she had been “fobbed off as an old lady whose peace and quiet doesn’t matter” despite making “numerous attempts” to communicate with Impression’s management.
She wrote:
“The music from the venue bangs right into my windows, so much so that I can’t even watch the TV on full volume. I have even contemplated moving to an area where I do not know anybody and will lose my support network of friends because of this club. It is affecting my mental health. It stops me from sleeping.”
A spokesperson for Newham Council said:
“As the licensing authority, it would not be appropriate to comment ahead of the licensing committee meeting on January 12.”
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said:
“We understand how instances of anti-social behaviour are upsetting to local communities and we take all reports extremely seriously. We are aware of reports of anti-social behaviour in the area around Hamilton Road, West Ham. Local officers have attended to investigate reports but no criminal offences or suspects have been identified.”
What restrictions do Newham event licenses impose on closing times and sound levels?
Ending times for events are generally limited to 11 PM to help noise dislocations late at night.Amplified live or recorded music must misbehave with noise limits set on the license, frequently taking music situations to not exceed the background noise position by further than 15 dB( A) measured over 15- nanosecond ages.
Venues must apply noise control measures similar as keeping doors and windows closed after certain times, using soundproofing like aural curtains, and conceivably installing noise limiters. Environmental Health Officers may check events and bear immediate reductions in sound situations if noise nuisance is linked.
Temporary Event Notices and licenses specify conditions that help public nuisance, acclimatized to the venue’s size and position. Event organizers are encouraged to develop noise operation plans and cooperate with authorities to resolve complaints fleetly.
